Nightmares
by Overtly Oxymoronic
Summary: Nightmares are strange things aren't they Highwind? Valenwind, to a degree, can be viewed as friendship.


Disclamer; Not mine at all.  
Sorry Cid lovers, but I had to do this. It wouldn't leave me alone.  
I am a Cid lover personaly, but, sometimes these stories are what make you love a chacter all the more. Sorry if you don't like it but that's not my problem, that's yours.

* * *

Cid was dreaming. No wait, that's the wrong word, Cid was having a nightmare. There we go. Cid was having a nightmare. What really made it bad was the fact it was not just a nightmare caused by his imagination, oh no, what made it a true nightmare was the fact that it was a memory; a horrible memory long suppressed.

_Hand…hands… horrible touching hands! Everywhere…holding down his arms and legs…can't move. Hands touching his chest…ripping his shirt…going lower. NO! Hands on his belt…taking it off…Please God no…his pants being pulled roughly down…not this…hands on the waistband of his boxers tugging them down to join his pants…Stop…please…stop…hands touching…holding…probing… ahh…NO! No…PAIN!_

Cid sat up breathing heavily. He raised a hand and wiped his sweaty hair out of his face, feeling his hand quiver as he did so. Then he put both hands over his face and took several deep breaths. In the darkness a pair of red eyes blinked open and looked at Cid. "Highwind?" Vincent's voice floating across from the other bed.  
_Highwind…oh Highwind…your so…_  
Cid jumped slightly. "What?" Cid's voice cracked just a bit.  
"Are you alright Highwind?"  
_So Tight…Highwind…  
_Cid suppressed a shudder. "Don't call me Highwind! I'm fine…"  
Red eyes blink in surprise then narrowed. "There is no need to bite me head off, HIGHWIND." Vincent hissed, and miffed, turned his back on his roommate.  
_You like this…Don't you Highwind…Don't deny it…you know it's true…are you happy now?…Highwind…  
_Cid was unable to suppress the shudder this time. Slowly Cid got out of bed and stumbled, shivering and shaking into the bathroom.  
Vincent heard water rushing as Cid turned on the sink and the water splashing. Suddenly there was a loud crash and Cid swearing. Vincent sighed and got up to go see what had happened. There was glass all over the floor.  
Cid was cursing under his breath and picking up the pieces, his hands trembling, although Vincent didn't notice it. "Aren't we clumsy Highwind."  
_Oh, are you crying Highwind? …Did it hurt? …Good…suffer Highwind…suffer._

Cid dropped the pieces he had picked up and stumbled back into the wall. "Don't call me Highwind…" he said softly as he sank to the floor his whole body trembling.  
Vincent's eye widened in alarm at this new development. "Highwi…Cid?" he said softly.  
Cid's trembling hadn't calmed down as he drew his knees and tucked them under his chin.  
"Cid…Are you okay? You're acting weird…" Vincent stepped over the glass and used the rug to push it out of his way. He knelt down in front of Cid.  
Cid's eyes were glazed over, their brilliant blue dulled and dark. "Don't call me Highwind…"  
Extremely worried now Vincent grabbed Cid by his upper arms. That however triggered another reaction. Cid stiffened up, his face contorting with fear as he began to struggle. "NO! No! Don't! Get away! Please…" the last word a quiet, desperate plea as Cid's breathing sped up 'til he was almost hyperventilating. Vincent immediately released Cid's upper arms. "Okay, okay. Calm down Cid. It's alright. I'm not going to hurt you." Cid looked at Vincent and recognition dawned in his eyes. "Vin…?"  
"Yes, It's me, Vincent." Vincent said soothingly.  
Cid tried to take a couple deep breaths to calm his racing heart. His breathing slowed then grew steady.  
Vincent let out a silent sigh of relief. "Come on. Let's get you back to bed." He stood up and held out his hand for Cid to take. Cid looked at it for moment then took it and Vincent heaved him to his feet.  
"The glass…" Cid said seeing the broken pieces.  
"Later. Step over it." Cid stepped over the broken glass and went to sit down on his bed. Vincent sat on his own bed across from Cid. "Now. What was that all about?" Vincent said calmly, looking Cid in the eye.  
Cid looked down, away from Vincent. "A nightmare…" He waved a hand dismissively.  
"Pardon me for stealing your language but Bullshit," Vincent said coolly, "A Nightmare does not have those kind of reactions."  
Cid growled, "It. Was. A. $#in. NIGHTMARE!" his hands shook and he tucked them under his arms. "A very, very bad nightmare…"  
Vincent shook his head and stood up. "I'll say it again, Bullshit." He walked over to Cid's bed. "You can be a terrible liar Highwind."  
_Oh…you want more? My…aren't you quite the whore Highwind._  
Cid looked up at Vincent. "Not Highwind…please…"  
Vincent saw something in Cid's eyes. Something deeply hidden and painful. "What happened?"  
"Nothing! Nothing happened." Cid denied. Vincent grasped his wrists. Cid began to struggle violently. "Don't!"  
"I'm not going to do anything Cid."  
"…"Suddenly Cid stopped struggling and let his head fall onto Vincent's chest. Vincent blinked startled and was even more startled when he felt something warm start to soak his shirt, Cid's shoulder's started to shake and Vincent realized what the warmth was. Tears.  
"Cid…" he said quietly as he released Cid's wrists.  
"…" Cid clutched at Vincent like a man drowning, sobs racking his body.  
"It's okay Cid." Vincent awkwardly stroked Cid's hair. Cid's sobbing slowed down and finally stopped all together.  
"…It was a memory." Came Cid's muffled voice from Vincent's chest.  
Vincent was silent sensing that if he said anything Cid would stop. He continued stroking the pilot's hair.  
"I-I was the youngest in the pilot training course. The smallest, weakest, most vulnerable." Cid's voice was bitter on the last couple words. "I had to try twice as hard to keep up with all the boys that were at least two years older than me. And I did." Pride. "I pasted every test they threw at me with flying colors. I guess I was being a bit too good for some. One day this student, who was three years older than me, and a couple buddies of his cornered me. They made snide remarks to which I gave the proper answer. It made them angry and they jumped me. Then they proceeded to…you know…" Cid's voice broke on the last word. Vincent made a shushing noise and stroked Cid's hair some more. "Unfortunately for them, there actions woke up my first limit break." Cid's voice went hard and emotionless. "I summoned a dragon and proceeded to beat the shit out of them. I don't even remember which one it was. By the end they were all half-dead. I fainted then and woke up in ShinRa's Private hospital. I ended up becoming a ShinaRa Pilot of the highest rank and then worked on the space program." Cid finished.  
"I'm sorry…" Vincent said quietly. Cid looked up. "Me too, but in the end, I guess they helped me." Vincent nodded and got up to return to his bed, reassured that Cid was fine now. Cid grabbed Vincent's shirt. Vincent turned around and raised an eyebrow questioningly. Cid didn't look at him. "P-please stay. You might keep the nightmares at bay." Vincent's eyes softened and he sat back down. "Okay." Cid gave a small smile. "Thanks." Vincent smiled back and pulled Cid into his arms. "Sleep." And so they fell asleep that way. Cid in Vincent's arms, his head resting right under Vincent's chin, his arms around Vincent's waist; Vincent with his arms around Cid, gently holding him. And that's how they woke when Cloud knocked on their door telling them to get moving they didn't have all day. Vincent yawned and called back an annoyed okay accompanied by Cid laughter as he stretched. They got ready to face the day, like any other day, but better because of the night.


End file.
